Written By Jason Stansell

We do a lot to prep for a tournament; we research our topics, write our pieces, memorize far more stuff than we ever thought possible, rehearse, rehearse, and rehearse. PDA provides all kinds of classes and resources, like these blogs, to help you in this process. Hours upon hours of material. But something we cover but don’t spend a lot of time on, and that’s the non-speaking side of preparing for a tournament.

Obviously, we can get the basics out of the way. Eata good dinner, get plenty of sleep, and have a healthy and filling breakfast. Take a shower or bath, dress in comfortable but tournament-worthy attire, and make certain that your computer is plugged in and the internet is working. Now that we have those covered, let’s get to the prepping that could use a discussion.

1. Has anyone taught you any vocal warm-ups? Choir vocal warm-ups can make the difference between projecting and articulating comfortably all tournament, versus stumbling repeatedly while losing your voice by the end. Vocal warm-ups are great to do before the tournament starts to warm up your vocal chords as well as prep your mouth for enunciations. If you already have vocal warm-ups, that’s great. If not, here are some links that can help:
   Mommy Made Me Mash My M&Ms
   Scales and Triads
   The Orchestra Song
   Duet the Articulation Song
   WORLDS most VIRAL Vocal Exercise

2. While we are on the topic of the voice, having water on hand is always a good idea. However, there’s something else that stands out almost as important that most people do not realize: cough drops or lozenges. These help relax the throat and can help reduce tension in your vocal cords. While we do not recommend having them in your mouth during your round, between rounds, especially 10 to 15 minutes beforehand, can be very beneficial.

3. Nervousness can be a nightmare, so much so that we’ve covered it in a previous blog. Nervousness can be a tool to help you along any path. However, when nervousness brings its buddy “panic” it can go from helping you along a path to throwing you into a brick wall. One way to tackle the nerves is by meditating. There are a variety of different forms of meditation, and finding just the right meditation techniques for you can take some time. However, here is a good place to start:
   Quick Guided Meditation for Anxiety – 4 Minutes

4. Lastly, don’t forget to prep for that all-important snack between rounds. I’m not talking about eating an entire cheeseburger or slice of sweet potato pie; but a few crackers, chips, grapes — something healthy to help stave off some hunger pangs that may crop up during the middle of a round. It may not seem like much, but hunger is one of the biggest distractions a person can face. You can’t really fight as hard for your side in a debate on the topic of whether or not “Resolved: All K-8 Schools in the United States Should be Required to Provide Free Lunches” if you’re also fighting with your own stomach.

I hope these preparation tips help. Remember, only use what actually helps you. If coughdrops are a distraction, don’t use them. If you’ve got a handle on your nervousness, you don’t have to meditate. These are just tools to help if you need them.